Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — The University of Arkansas System has approved a change of construction management and general contracting firms for its flagship campus' proposed $160 million stadium expansion.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/1Sn6Nfa ) reports that the board of trustees gave the go-ahead Tuesday for the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville to pick CDI/Hunt Joint Ventures.
The approval came after trustees expressed concerns about how often the system used the same general contracting firms for its projects. In 2013, Flintco LLC had been named the construction management and general contracting firm for the project. But at the time, the university was conducting a feasibility study for the stadium expansion.
"All we're doing is filling in where we need this contract manager," trustee Cliff Gibson of Monticello said. "That is so the planning part of this can continue. This is not giving final approval to the expansion at this time."
The university has for years wanted to fully enclose the 78-year-old Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. The stadium, which currently seats 72,000, averaged more than 70,000 attendees during its six home games in 2015.
In January, the system board permitted the university to get full design and cost estimates for a plan to expand the stadium. The construction would include closing the stadium's north end zone and adding some 3,200 seats in its place. The additional seats include 2,297 club seats, 384 suite seats and 368 box seats.
Officials have estimated that funds for the project will come from $40 million in private funds and a $120 million bond issue.
___
Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
